Dolphins Have Special Needs

NFL report

With Solid Kicking Game, Johnson Emphasizes Field Position

PHILADELPHIA — Mike Westhoff, Miami Dolphins special-teams coach, now has the ability to overload and download at will. But it's not a new computer program to break down opponents' plays.

Rather, it's part of the increased emphasis on field position - an emphasis that was one of the key ingredients to the Dolphins' victory last week in Buffalo and may be as important today in Philadelphia.

Most people consider field position a nebulous statistic, a factor that evens out over a season. But to coach Jimmy Johnson, field position is paramount.

''That was the name of the game,'' Johnson said. ''The name of winning the game against Buffalo was not turning it over and playing field position.''

Given that the Dolphins and Eagles will start backup quarterbacks (Craig Erickson and Ty Detmer), the likelihood is that turnovers and field position will go a long way in determining the outcome.

If the first six games are any indication, the Dolphins will dominate the category. They have started 34 drives from their 30-yard line or worse this season, compared with 55 drives for their opponents. Conversely, the Dolphins have started 34 drives from beyond their 30, compared with 18 for opponents.

While the percentages aren't much different - opponents and the Dolphins scoring about a third of the time with good field position - the total opportunities have been a huge factor. The Dolphins have 12 scores (nine touchdowns and three field goals) with good field position. Their opponents have six (four touchdowns, two field goals).

Furthermore, field position has obviously helped the defense. It has allowed only seven scores in the 55 possessions that have started at the 30 or worse. It's worth noting that the Dolphins twice have allowed opponents to score more than once when starting from the 30 or worse. Both times, they lost.

Credit the punting of John Kidd, the kickoffs of Joe Nedney, and Johnson's emphasis on keeping certain players just for special teams. That has allowed Westhoff the freedom to negate opposing strengths and play to the Dolphins' power.

''I think that the whole pace of special teams has increased,'' Kidd said. ''I don't think there's more time with it, but when we do it, the pace and the expectation on what we're supposed to get done is higher. The way we work on it in class, then at walk-throughs and then in practice.''

Instead of praying just to contain opponents, the Dolphins are feasting as they take advantage of Nedney's leg.

''You go down the field now and you're looking to make a big play, stop them at the 10 or 12, something like that,'' Kirby Dar Dar said. ''You figure if you do that, you're forcing the other team's offense to make an extra first down.''

Said safety Louis Oliver: ''When Joe kicks, you pretty much know it's going to be around the end zone. They're not going to be catching it on the 10, getting up to the 30 or 40. When Joe kicks, it's going to be in the end zone or on the end line and the guys on the return team have been getting down there pretty quick. It's kind of good making teams have to go 80 yards or more to score.''